Save your love for a rainy day
by VickiByrne7
Summary: Judd and Vicki have been friends for a long time, and are about to strengthen their relationship. But what happens when someone gets in the way. An alternate plot for the Left Behind The Kids characters.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Left Behind: The Kids, they belong to Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. If I did then this series would have a book 41 and a TV show. Plus Judd and Vicki would have gotten together a long time ago.

**Hey guys. So the idea for this story kind of just came to me and I really wanted to try it. It's an alternate plot of the characters of Left Behind: The Kids. I will still be updating Just A Thousand Years, so if you have any ideas for it, message me! Okay, so I hope you enjoy this. Please review.**

* * *

I sit, glancing between the phone and the clock. Judd had told her that he would call her at 4:30, and it was 4:47. It is not part of my personality to obsess over something like this, but in times like this it had become normal to expect the worst and then just to take what would come.

I know that Judd would be home any time in the next few weeks, and the thought of him being here with me thrilled me. There were so many people here at the camp in Wisconsin that I can't wait for him to meet. Cheryl, Tanya, Ty, Chad...

I take a moment to think about how Judd will react when he finds out Chad Harris is staying with us. He got very upset the last time I spent time with Chad, mainly because he knew Chad liked me. I knew this was true. Chad has even told me this. I tried to let him down softly, explaining to him that I had feelings for Judd. He was even going to go get Judd for me, but Zeke Jr. was able to talk him out of it, telling him he would get himself, and quite possibly, Judd killed. Chad had, reluctantly, decided to stay and help out at the camp.

My thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the phone. I quickly fumble with it and answer the call eagerly.

"Hello" I say, energetically.

"Vick? It's Judd." He answers.

I smile to myself. "How are you?"

I can hear talk in the background and Judd trying to shush them. I laugh. "Good." He replies. "It's been crazy. Lionel and I cannot wait to get home. I really miss you, Vick'."

I blush. "I really miss you too. Do you guys have any idea when you will be here?"

"Um...well, this is not a definite, but we are aiming for an arrival around...um...next week."

"Really?!" I exclaim.

Judd chuckled and says "Yeah. I can't wait to get there and see everyone. And see you."

"I can't wait to see you either. It will be really nice to talk face to face instead of always emailing and calling."

"Yeah, we can finally have that talk about...us" Judd says, somewhat shyly.

I laugh and try to think of something to say when I hear a knock at the door.

"There is as someone at the door of my cabin. Hold on. "I say, while the person keeps knocking.

"I'm coming." I say aloud. I open my cabin's door, behind which Conrad and Chad stand behind. They smile shyly when they see that I had been on the phone.

"What's up, guys?" I ask them.

"Marshall was wondering if you guys had some extra pillow cases that you could spare. We are getting some of the older cabins ready in case we have any new people come here soon. "Conrad explains.

I go to the small closet in the cabin and look through it. I shake my head.

"Nope. We have none. Sorry."

"It's okay, Vicki. Thanks anyway." Chad says.

They leave and I quickly return to the call with Judd. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine. Who was that?" He asks.

"Oh just Conrad and -" I stop myself.

"And who?" He asks me again.

"No one. I mean, you have not met them yet. You can meet him when you get here. Okay?"

"Vick?" Judd says, almost doubtful.

"Judd, it's nothing. Okay? You can trust me." I say, without even thinking about what I was saying.

Judd sighs. "Okay." I hear him say something in the background. "Hey, I have to go, but I will call you soon and I'll email you tomorrow, okay?"

I smile. "Okay. Be careful. I'm praying for you and I really miss you."

"Miss you too. Bye."

"Bye." I say and with that, he is gone.

I set the phone down and flop onto my bed. I am so excited about Judd coming home soon, but I am dreading his meeting Chad. I don't know if he will take to him.

I stand up and look out the window. Judd is in for a surprise when he gets here.

* * *

**Well, there you go. What did you think? Please review!**

**VickiByrne7**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Left Behind: The Kids, they belong to Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. If I did then this series would have a book 41 and a TV show. Plus Judd and Vicki would have gotten together a long time ago.

**Hey guys. Here is the second chapter of the story. I hope you like it. And let me just say, I'm going to tweak some things that actually happened in the books. It's not that I didn't like how the books did it, because I loved the books, but some scenes I either had to change for story purposes or I just had an idea that I was dying to write.**

* * *

_One week later_

I can't even think straight right now. Judd and Lionel will be coming home any day now. I speak with Judd daily so I can keep everyone updated on their whereabouts.

I just cannot believe Judd and I will be able to speak face to face soon. He has been gone for such a long time that it will take some time to get used to the fact that him and Lionel will be here with us.

I know one thing for sure, though. Once Judd gets back, the next few months we have left will be some of the hardest, but some of best.

* * *

Judd sat in the car thinking. He had just poured out his heart to Lionel, telling him all of his thoughts about his relationship with Vicki. Lionel now was silently staring out the window, taking in the view.

Judd didn't want to admit it, but he was nervous. He was still replaying how he would surprise Vicki in his head, rehearsing what he would say. Yet, memories of their previous fights would creep into mind and the butterflies that were in his stomach would return once again.

Landmarks that Vicki had told them about started to come into view. Judd could feel himself shake out of nervousness, yet he still felt peace. He didn't know what to expect, but he knew everything would be okay.

* * *

I look out the window almost every five minutes as I help Janie spruce up Cheryl's old cabin. Today has been exhausting with everything that happened with Cheryl and Ryan. The only good thing that came out of what happened that now we know that Ryan is safe and that Cheryl is getting the help she needs.

"So, are you nervous?"Janie says, breaking the silence.

"Nervous about what?" I ask, as I start to put the sheets on the bed.

"Nervous about seeing Judd. Duh!" Janie exclaimed.

I sigh. "I don't know. I mean, I'm excited to see him, but I just don't know what to expect." I confessed. I really wanted to see Judd and had been praying for years that he and Lionel would return safely, but I just don't know, especially with Chad here.

"Yeah. I guess that's normal." Janie replied.

I'm about to respond, but I hear a noise. Its almost like a...like a car engine! I wonder if it's just my mind playing tricks on me, but when I looked at Janie I knew it was not just me. I looked out the window and saw some of the people from the camp gathering around one cabin.

"Do you think?" I whisper, and Janie nods. She looks closer to what the people are gathered around.

"Are they here?"I say.

"There's only one way to find out. I'll be right back." She responds, and then runs out. I pray silently to myself, asking God for the strength and wisdom for whatever is coming next.

* * *

Judd and Lionel pulled up to the cabin that had people swarmed around it, but Vicki was nowhere to be found. Judd looked at Lionel, who had a huge smile on his face.

"Dude, I don't recognize like half of those people." Lionel stated.

"I know. And every one we know probably looks different." Judd replied.

"Well, not everyone. That's Conrad right. And over there is Mark." Lionel said, pointing as he said every name.

Judd nodded and Lionel spoke again. "You ready?

Judd sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be."

They got out of the car and walked into a very warm welcome. Conrad, Mark, Shelley and Darrion rushed to them, embracing them both.

"It's so good to see you guys." Darrion said.

"Yeah, we really missed you two." Added Conrad.

"It's good to see you guys too." Lionel responded.

Judd looked around at all the people. A lot of them looked familiar, but some of the people he knew he had never met. The people started introducing themselves and Judd started to connect their names and faces with the stories Vicki had told him about them. He remembered Janie, Melinda and Charlie and was ecstatic that they had gotten saved. He had heard about Tanya and Ty and how Vicki got mixed up with them. He heard the stories of Marshall, Colin and Becky Dial, Tom and Josey Fogarty and little Ryan. He remembered Zeke, the big guy with tattoos that had a very soft heart.

Judd walked up to a young man, probably his age, and introduced himself. "Hi. I'm Judd."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Chad." the man said.

_Chad._ Judd ran the name over in his head. Vicki hadn't told about a Chad recently. Then he remembered. Chad was the one who had comforted Vicki when Natalie died. Chad had feelings for Vicki.

Judd shook the thoughts out of his head and asked where Vicki was. Janie pointed to a cabin up on the hill, not far away. Judd thanked her and started to make his way to the cabin.

Judd stood outside the cabin and breathed. He went over the plan in his head. He prayed a prayer and silently slipped in.

Vicki's back was turned to him, so she didn't know he was there. He took a second and loomed at her. She was a bit taller and her hair was shorter. Her skin was lightly tanned, Judd guessed from being outside during the current Judgment which made the sun much hotter than normal.

He cleared his throat and began. "Excuse me." He could tell he frightened her a bit. She turned around and looked at him." I was wondering where I'm supposed to go. I'm new here and I was told I should come talk to you."

Vicki looked at him and he wondered if she could tell who he was. It was all he could do to not start laughing and tell her it was him.

"Well, stranger." she said, slowly." I'm Vicki. You know, your voice sounds really familiar. "

"Really?"

"Yeah, almost like my friend... Judd. Judd!" She exclaimed and embraced him.

"It took you long enough." He said, hugging her tighter.

She laughed. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." He said, still hugging her.

She pulled back so she could look at him. "You look so different."

He smiled. "Well let's hope I look different. It's been how many years?"

She chuckled and wiped away a tear. "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back."


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it took me awhile to update. Well, here is the new chapter. Hope you like it. Please review :)**

* * *

It's been two weeks since Judd and Lionel have arrived and honestly it has been amazing. The fact that we are all together again is beyond belief.

Judd thankfully hasn't had much time to acquaint with Chad. I don't know why I'm so worried about them being together, but I am. Judd acted strange when I told him about Chad, but I can only imagine how he will react to Chad being with me.

I shake the thoughts out of my head when I see Judd coming my way. I shoot him a smile and his face brightens up. His pace fastens a bit and he keeps his eyes linked with mine. I can't help but stifle a laugh.

"What?" He asks me when he finally arrives.

"Nothing, it's nothing." I reply, shaking my head. He looks at me and I put my hands up in defense. "Nothing"

"Okay, okay" He stated, a smile playing at his lips. I laugh and shake my head.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you." He said, simply.

By the tone of his voice I know what he is going to say. "Where are you going?" I ask keeping my eyes on the small trail we are walking on that leads to the main cabin.

"Why do you automatically assume that I am going somewhere?" He asks, looking at me and with a humorous tone.

"Because" I explained, "Almost every time you have something important to talk about, it's that the Co-Op wants you to go somewhere."

"Does it bother you that I'm always going on Co-Op missions?" He asks.

"No, it doesn't bother me, but it's just I knew that was what you were going to tell me about." I reply.

"Am I really that predictable?" He questions.

"Well that" I say. "And the fact that Chloe called me this morning."

"You're awful, you know that?" He says, laughing.

"Yeah, well at least I'm spontaneous. If you want to be less predictable you should, I don't know, jump over a rushing river on a motorcycle." I say, recalling the time after the Wrath of the Lamb earthquake that he was so desperate for survival that he jumped a river on a motorcycle.

"Well, Miss Byrne, that was just uncalled for." He says, pretending to be hurt.

"Well, I'm sorry. So, where are you going?" I ask him as we sit down right outside the main cabin.

"Milwaukee. There are some believers there who need help. "

I nod. "When are you going?"

"Thursday, so we have three days to get ready. I should be back on Friday. It's kind of nice that the heat wave has lasted this long. It makes rescue missions so much easier. "

"Okay." I say. I try to say more, but I am interrupted by a cough.

"You okay?" Judd asks me, concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine Judd. It's just a little cough. "

"Okay." He says, but he doesn't seem convinced. I put my arm around his shoulder and give him a hug, and his worries seem to melt away

* * *

On Thursday Morning, Judd Thompson was a wreck. He was putting all the last minute things He needed for his trip together. He wanted to go and see Vicki before he left, but he knew if he would do that then he would have to hurry.

He started to think about Vicki. She was definitely something special. She had changed so much since he had met her and now she was such an amazing person. The past two weeks Judd had gotten to spend with her had been some of the best days in his life.

He put his cell phone in his backpack and zipped it up. He walked out of the cabin and made his way to Vicki's cabin. He started to run, just to make sure he would have time to give her a proper goodbye.

When he got to her cabin, he set down his backpack and knocked on the door. She opened the door and before she could say anything, he enveloped her in a hug. When he finally let her go, he said, "I'm going to miss you."

She smiled. "I'll miss you too Judd, but it will only be one day. We've been separated for longer than that. "She suddenly started coughing.

"Vick, are you sure you are okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine. It's nothing." She remarked. He put his hand on her forehead and then looked at her. "Vick, you're burning up. Now go lay down, please. "

"Judd, I'm fine, really, it's-"

"Vicki, please. I want you to get better. Okay."

"Fine." She murmured. She lies down in her bed and Judd pulled the covers up on her.

"Now, stay here until you're better, okay. I'm going to go talk to Shelly and she'll take care of you. And if you think I'm making a big deal out of this, wait until you see her."

"Okay." She says. "Be careful and stay safe."

"Well, I have to stay safe. I have to come here tomorrow to make sure you are alright."

She smiled. "Bye Judd."

"Bye Vick."


	4. Chapter 4

Judd Thompson Jr. sank down in a chair in the plane on Friday evening. The rescue mission had been a success and the band of believers had been relocated to a small town in Michigan.

His thoughts started to wander from his recent trip to Vicki. He hoped she was feeling alright and that Shelly was taking good care of her.

His relationship with Vicki had grown much stronger in the days and weeks he had been back. Being able to see her again was one of the most amazing parts about being back. Lionel had asked Judd if he was considering marriage and Judd, for once, was speechless. He knew Vicki was special and definitely the one for him, but for the past few weeks he had just been enjoying the time he had with her. They had talked about their future, but Vicki thought it would be best to take things slow, and Judd agreed. But we're they ready for marriage? Vicki was only nineteen and Judd was twenty, going on twenty-one. Chloe Williams was twenty-two when she wed Buck and she had only known him for a year and a half. Judd and Vicki on the other hand had known each other for about five and a half years, almost six.

Lionel seemed to think they were ready. In a previous conversation the two had when they were still on their way home, Lionel said that once they got home, he would have to find some nice clothes for the wedding. Judd had thought about his and Vicki's future ever since Nada had died. The fact that he could see Vicki again and have a future with her was one of the main things that pushed him throughout the long and hard journey.

He remembered the day he met Vicki. It was the day after the Rapture. The day that he found his parents and siblings were gone. He had also met Lionel and Ryan that day. The day she had been there with him when he got saved and had been there ever since. She never abandoned him, even when they were arguing. She listened to him and prayed with him. She had been there throughout everything.

It finally hit Judd. Vicki has been there for him in everything that had happened and he wanted her to be there for everything that would happen. No matter what their relationship status was, he needed her as a friend and a sister in Christ.

Judd's thoughts were broken when Mac Mccullem voice called out and said that they would be landing soon. Judd nodded and fastened his seat belt, looking out at the horizon as he did. The beauty of God's creation never failed to amaze him. It was such an awesome reminder of God's power.

Judd waited patiently throughout the landing process, thanked Mac and then hopped off the plane and ran to a small black car that Zeke Jr. and Lionel were inside. He jumped into the back seat, clutching his backpack against his body and Zeke sped out of there.

Lionel turned around in the passenger seat and asked, "How did the trip go?"

"It was really good. The believers are in Michigan now. "He replied, panting.

Lionel smiled at him and turned back around in his seat. Zeke piped in, "Don't you want to call Miss Vicki?"

Judd laughed. "Actually, Zeke, I think I want to wait to talk to her face to face. I have something I want to tell her."

"And that is...?" Zeke said.

"It's between me and Vicki."

Zeke sighed."Fine, fine. Don't tell me. You know, I need a little happiness in the midst of all this sadness, and you sir, are not delivering." He said, jokingly.

"Well, I'm sorry."Judd said."But you still have little Ryan."

Zeke nodded."You do have a point there. That little guy has brought us all some much-needed joy. Kenny Bruce did the same thing. Chloe, Buck or just about anybody for that matter could be having such a hard day, but when they would see him, their face would just light up."

Zeke Jr. was right. The little guys had helped keep everyone sane when things were going crazy. Ryan always could turn the day around. That was the one thing that Judd really loved about him.

"See."Judd said."Ryan and Kenny can give you your daily dose of happiness and fun and I can stick to doing rescue missions."

The rest of the ride was filled with cheerful banter. Judd would look out the window and see things he saw on the ride when they first went to the camp. Memories filled his mind and he was overjoyed.

The hidden road for the camp came into sight and Judd took out his wallet and looked at the picture he had of Vicki. He always missed her when he went on trips, whether they were one day long or years long. He hated being separated from Vicki and cherished the time they had together.

Zeke Jr. stopped the car and let Judd and Lionel out, then he went to go park the car in the hidden spot. Judd swung his backpack around his shoulder and he and Lionel went into the main cabin, were a few people were all hugged him and he told them how his trip went, but he was a bit distracted. Vicki was nowhere to be found.

After he finished telling them about the rescue mission a few of them excused themselves so they could go finish up some of their stood up and walked over to where Janie was.

"Hey, Janie." He said, still looking around the room.

"Hey, Judd. What's up?" She asked.

"Um, do you know how Vicki is? Did Shelly take care of her?"

Janie started to speak, but then paused, as if thinking again about what she was going to say. "Shelly ended up catching whatever Vicki had. So they moved her into one of the empty cabins and I'm staying with the other girls. "

"Why did they move Shelly if they had the same thing?"Judd asked her.

"Well, "Janie started."It seemed like Vicki was starting to feel better and we didn't want her getting sick again."

"Ok," Judd said, nodding." So, if Shelly was also sick, who took care of Vicki?"

"Mrs. Forgerty took care of both of them for the most part. Darrion and I took turns when she had to be with Ryan."

"Wait, then who is with Vicki right now?" You, Darrion and Mrs. Forgerty are all in the main cabin. "

Janie looked around."Um, I think Chad volunteered to stay with her while we all came here to see you."

"Chad?" Judd questioned.

"Yeah, why?"She said.

"Thanks Janie. I got to go. I'll see you later." He said and then he ran out straight to Vicki's cabin


	5. Chapter 5

Judd Thompson Jr. ran with all his might towards Vicki's cabin. He didn't know if he could trust this Chad guy, although he knew he could trust Vicki. But he still didn't like the idea of a guy who had and might still have feelings for Vicki alone with her.

When Judd reached her cabin, he quickly knocked and rushed in, not waiting for anyone to let him in. When he came in Vicki was sitting up in her bed, covers off and her knees pulled up to her chest. She looked at Judd then looked down, clearly wanting him to not overreact and to just talk to her. Chad was sitting in a chair by Vicki's bed, looking uncomfortable.

"Hey Judd. How was your trip?" Vicki asked, nervously.

"Good." He said. "Vicki, can I talk to you?"

Chad took that as his cue to leave and quickly left the cabin. Judd knew he would be talking to him tonight. But for now, Judd wanted to get what happened straight with Vicki.

Judd opened his mouth to speak, but Vicki stopped him. "It wasn't what it looked like."She said, finally looking at him.

"What was he doing in here, Vick'?" He asked, with a hint of anger in his voice.

"We were just talking. Janie wanted someone to be with me in case I started to get sick again, but she had some work to go do. Judd, I promise you-"She said.

"I know, I know. Nothing happened. "He barked.

"Judd, why are you so angry. I didn't do anything wrong!"Vicki said, raising her voice.

"I don't like him being with you, OK!" Judd yelled. He didn't want to get into an argument with Vicki, but he was just so frustrated.

"Why do you care who I hang out with? You're not in charge of me, Judd!"She said, standing.

"Well, I'm sorry I just don't want some guy who tried to make a move on you hanging out with you, alone I might add!" Judd said, angrily.

"What, so you don't trust me?" She yelled.

"No, I don't trust him!" Judd countered.

"Why, Judd? Did he ever hurt me, say something inappropriate? Did he say something to you? You barely know the guy and you already think he's a bad guy!" She screamed.

Judd paused. He didn't understand how she couldn't see where he was coming from. He was scared of losing her. How did she not see how worried he was about her? Did she not see how much he cared about her?

"Well, I'm sorry. I'm just scared of him stealing you away from me." Judd finally said. He sat down on the bed, waiting for her to respond. He knew what she would say. She would tell him their relationship wasn't working, that they were moving too fast and that they should just be friends.

"What?"She finally said, quietly.

"You heard me. I'm scared he is going to steal you away and that I am going to lose you. "Judd's repeated stiffly.

"Judd you're not going to lose me." She whispered, sitting next to him.

"Vick that guy is just going to swift you off your feet and then you'll be head over heels in love with him. He was here to comfort you when I was back in Israel. He was straightforward and didn't leave you wondering like I did. He is the type of guy most girls want. He's charming, dashing and everything else girls like. I'm not any of that." Judd revealed.

"Judd, I don't have feelings for Chad like that and I won't. You're the only guy I care about. I don't care if you're not what most girls like. I'm not most girls. I like you just the way you are."

Judd looked down and shook his head. "I'm sorry I freaked out, I just can't imagine not having you with me."

Vicki smiled." I forgive you. And I know it's rough. How do you think I felt when you were with Nada?"

Judd hadn't thought about it that way. Vicki went through the same thing but  
ten times worse. He was interested in Nada and had actually told her brother that Nada was his girlfriend.

Judd put him arm around Vicki and pulled her in tight. Vicki looked up at him and said," You're going to talk to Chad, aren't you?"

"Yeah. I want to get some ground rules set with him, let him know that you're mine." Judd responded.

Vicki looked at him hesitantly, but he just smiled at her. "Okay. Just don't blow up at him, ok?"

"Okay." Judd said. Judd removed his arm from around her and she put her head on his shoulder. He smiled at her, took her hands in his and looked at her.

"I love you, Vick'"

"I love you too Judd."

He hugged her, wishing that this moment would never end.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry that it's been so long since the last chapter guys. I've been super busy with work and I just got back from a missions trip, so I haven't had much time to actually write. I hope that you like the new chapter. Oh, and the jealousy part that a lot of people have been asking for is coming soon :)**

* * *

Judd Thompson Jr. sat outside under the large oak tree, taking full advantage of the heat wave. It had been only a day since he had returned from his latest Co-Op run. He had not yet talked with Chad about the situation that happened yesterday since Zeke Jr. needed Chad's help with something, but Judd planned on doing that real soon.

Judd and Lionel had only been back with the rest of the Young Tribulation Force for about three weeks, but it had felt so much longer. They had both really missed being with their close friends for these few long years. While Judd had missed everyone, he had missed Vicki the most. Since what had happened yesterday, Judd had been thinking more about their relationship.

Judd and Vicki had known each other for about five and a half years. Though their relationship had had its highs and lows, he felt closest to her. He had known her and Lionel for the longest and saw them as the ones who understood him the best. Lionel had gotten to know him more since they were stuck in Israel together. Both had seen Judd's best days and his worst.

Judd looked around the camp. It was calm and quiet right now, since everyone was having free time and using it to do their work. It was warm for four in the afternoon, but that was to be expected during the current judgment.

Judd heard a door shut and looked up to see Lionel walking by, most likely headed to his cabin which Judd shared with him. Lionel waved to Judd, as he kept motioned for Lionel to come to him. Lionel happily left the trail he was walking on and made his way over to Judd.

"Hey, Judd. What's up?"Lionel said, still standing.

"I'm just thinking. You don't have to stay; I just wanted to say hi."

"Naw, man." Lionel responded."Whenever you think, you normally need someone to talk to about it. "

"Thanks, but you don't have to."

Lionel sat."Eh, I got nothing better to spill it."Lionel always had a way of making him laugh, but he also could be quite serious.

"It's nothing, Lionel."Judd said.

"Dude something is clearly bothering you. Just say it and you'll feel all better."Lionel said, chuckling.

Judd sighed."Well, it's just that yesterday when I got back from my run with the Co-Op, I went to go see Vicki and she was with Chad."Judd stated.

"Oh, I get it. You're jealous."

"I am not jealous."Judd countered.

"It sounds like you are."Lionel pressed.

"Well, I'm not." Judd proclaimed.

"Then why do you care if Vicki was with Chad?"Lionel asked.

"Because, I just don't like her being with some guy who had or still has feelings for her."

"So, you're scared of losing Vicki?"

"Well, I was."Judd said."But, Vick' and I already talked about that."

"So, then what's bothering you?"Lionel questioned.

"I don't know."Judd admitted."It's just; I don't like the thought of him socializing with her."

"Judd, Listen to me, ok. You are jealous!"Lionel proclaimed.

Judd opened his mouth to say something, but Lionel cut him off "Don't even try arguing with me, cuz' you know I'm right."

"Fine, I'm jealous." Judd surrendered."But what do I do, huh? Tell Chad and Vicki I don't want them to hang out with each other because it makes me jealous? That just makes me look like the bad guy. Plus, why should I be jealous? Vicki already said she likes me!"

"Okay, down. I know Vicki likes you, but it's just natural for you to be jealous. Do you want to know what I think you should do?" Lionel asked.

"Sure" Judd muttered.

"Trust her" Judd started to speak, but Lionel once again beat him to it."Just hear me out ok?" Judd nodded.

"Okay. Well, first off, you already known Vicki likes you, not Chad, so it's not like you have to worry about losing her. And second, Vicki knows how it feels to be jealous."

"She does?"Judd asked.

"Do you remember when we over in Israel and you liked Nada? That probably drove Vicki crazy. She knew she liked you but you were actually with someone else. She just had to trust that God had a plan for you guys and that if you were meant to be with Nada, she would be able to move on."

"Wow."Judd stated simply."What I am feeling is nothing compared to what she felt. How do you know all this?"

Lionel smiled."Vicki and I have talked about this."

"Yeah, you didn't really like the relationship between Nada and me, did you?"Judd asked Lionel.

"To be honest, no. You want to know why?"

"Sure."Judd said.

"Because, "Lionel started."I knew you weren't meant to be with her. It was obvious, at least to me, that you still really liked Vicki. I just couldn't see you with didn't seem to fit you like,Nada didn't know you as well as Vicki. She hadn't seen the worst of you like Vicki, most of all; she didn't make you completely happy like Vicki does."

"Wow" Judd said "You could tell I liked Vicki back then?"

Lionel cackled."Dude, you were practically smitten with her."

Judd laughed."You know, Lionel, you're pretty smart."

"Really? Well, do me a favor and don't tell anyone. We wouldn't want _that _getting around."

Judd chuckled. "Don't worry, you're secret is safe with me."

They stood up and started to linger back to their cabin.

"You know, Lionel, it's amazing you don't have a girl that you like, considering you are so good with romance."

Lionel smiled."I don't have time for a relationship; I'm too busy always helping you and Vicki with yours!"

"You're right, you're absolutely right."Judd said, laughing."But you would make a nice catch for a very lucky lady."

"Well, thanks."Lionel remarked."But don't be playing match-maker with me. I am perfectly happy being single for right now. "


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys. Sorry it's been a while since the last post, I've been super busy. Ok, so a lot of you reviewed saying I should give Lionel a love life. I actually have some ideas for that storming up in my head. But in order to do that I would like to add a sub-plot to the story. I would really enjoy that, but do you guys want me to add a sub-plot involving Lionel? Comment and tell me what you guys think.**

**Also, I'm thinking of changing the chapter's that Vicki's point of view from first person to third person narrative (what I am currently doing Judd's point of view in). For this chapter, the sections that are Vicki's point of view will be third person narrative. Please comment which person you like more (first or third) and then I will alter the chapters that need it so they all match. Thank you so much!**

**Now, here is the new chapter.**

* * *

"Ooh, ooh. Do you see that bunny over there? Isn't he cute?" Vicki Byrne asked, shoving Judd who was sitting next to her on the main cabins porch.

"Yes, Vick, I see him." Judd said, laughing.

Vicki smiled, leaning her head on Judd's shoulder. She remained quiet, taking in the view around her. Things at the camp had settled down after Judd and Vicki had gotten into their argument the other day. Lionel and Shelley had both been informed about the fight, and of course Chad must have known that something went down after he left.

Vicki felt Judd stir underneath her head and lifted her eyes to see what he was doing. He turned again, this time to face her, with a small daisy in his hand.

"Here's a pretty flower for a very pretty girl." He says, giving her the flower. Vicki takes it, grinning ear to ear.

"Thanks, Judd." She responded, smiling down at the flower, twirling it around in a circle. Judd opened his mouth to say something, but stopped short of it. Vicki turned her head to what his eyes were focused on and she saw Chad, sitting in a chair on the porch of the cabin he was sharing with Ty and Charlie.

"Vick, I've got to go, okay?" Judd said, clearly distracted.

Vicki sighed, but nodded her head to let him know he could go. He stood up and kissed her forehead, his eyes thanking her."

He started to run off, yelling behind him, "Bye Vicki."

She smiled, yelling back to him a goodbye. She watched him run off to Chad and she knew what his intentions were. She kept her eyes looked on his, whispering under her breathe "Be careful, Judd."

* * *

Judd Thompson Jr. turned his head to look back at Vicki as he ran. He prayed a silent prayer and made a vow for Vicki he wouldn't do anything that he would regret later.

Judd slowed down as he neared Chad. When Chad noticed him a look of worry overtook his face. Judd took a second to catch his breath, and then began.

"Hey, Chad. Can I talk to you?" He said, silently panting.

"Uh...Sure." Chad drawled, standing up to look Judd in the eyes.

"Ok, dude. I know you were with Vicki. I saw you and you saw me so don't shoot me some lame excuse, cuz I'm not going to buy it. I want to know the real reason you volunteered to take care of Vicki while everyone else was in the meeting."

Chad looked taken back at what Judd had said. He steadied his feet on the ground and started to explain. "I just wanted to get to know her better, ok? She's a great girl. "

"I know she's a great girl, but I don't want you alone with her. Got it?" Judd said his voice getting a bit louder.

"And may I ask why?" Chad responded, bolder.

"Look, "Judd muttered. "I know that you had feelings for her. I know that you tried to make a move on her. But what I don't know is if you still have feelings for her, and I'm not about to take that risk."

"You don't own her you know." Chad countered.

Judd racked his mind for a comeback because he didn't want Chad to think he was weak. He stood up straight, looking down at Chad who was a few inches shorter than him. Chad straightened also. He gave Judd a smirk, as if to challenge him.

"Look, what are you trying to prove, huh? Don't you think I know that I don't own her? I'm not stupid. But answer me one question. Do you still have feelings for Vicki?"

Chad's lip quivered a bit, but he stopped it. He stood up straight, trying to level out with Judd. He stayed quiet for a second, as if trying to process the question again.

"I said." Judd contented. "Do you still have feelings for Vicki?"

"So what if I do? What are you going to do about it?" Chad roared, but then looked around to make sure no one had heard him.

"You know, it's taking a lot of my self control to not sock you right now." Judd replied.

"Congratulations. You have enough self control to not smack me. You want a pin or a ribbon?" Chad smirked.

"Whatever Sergeant Sarcasm. Now, let's say you do have feelings for Vicki. What are you going to do, huh? What's your plan hot-shot? Spend tons of time with Vicki and then she'll suddenly fall for you? Yeah, good luck with that."

Now Chad was angry. "That seemed to work for you. You think you're so great. What does Vicki even see in you? She deserves a real man who'll treat her right. Not some guy who'll get in a fight with her and then leave for three years. She doesn't need a guy who's arrogant. She needs a guy who is nothing like you!" Chad yelled.

This cut Judd deep. It was one thing to insult him, but to say he wasn't good enough for Vicki. That could not be had said she loved him, not Chad. Judd shook his head. He wouldn't let Chad get to him.

"Well, Vicki seems to like me pretty well. She's only been friends with me for how many years? And it's obvious to everyone that there's something going on between us." Judd said.

"Yeah, well why don't we just ask Vicki who the better guy is?!" Chad suggested, angrily.

"Oh no, do not drag Vicki into this!" Judd said.

"Then what was the point of this whole argument?" Chad asked.

"The point is that you leave Vicki alone, got it? She wants to be friends with you and nothing else!" Judd said.

"That's what you think." Chad said.

"Think what you want. Just don't mention this to Vicki."

"And why not?" Chad asked. "Would it get her upset with you?"

"It would get her upset with both of us genius."

"Ok. So, I won't tell her. But I still have a chance with Vicki. "And with that he walked away.

Judd shook his head, trying to calm down. He started to walk back to his cabin, making a mental note to keep an eye out for Chad.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys. Sorry about the lack of consistency with the updates :(. I am hoping that once the school year starts I'll develop a schedule for updating, but I can't promise anything. I have school, work, sports, blogging, photography, etc. But I promise to keep updating no matter what. I'll try to do at least a chapter a week though, unless things get crazy :).**

**And how do you guys like the story so far? I have made the decision to add some sub plots onto the story to make it better rounded. I am definitely going to do a plot of Lionel, and maybe Conrad and Shelly, but are there any other characters you would like me to focus on? If so please either review or pm me. I'd love to hear what you think.**

**And now, the new chapter:**

* * *

Lionel Washington stood by Judd and Vicki in the main cabin, singing out the well-known lyrics of Amazing Grace. Everyone from the camp had gathered for the weekly praise and worship meeting and being surrounded by people who loved him and cared for him made Lionel feel right at home.

The past few weeks since he and Judd had arrived at the camp had been hectic. Between Co-Op runs, settling in, getting to know people and just trying to stay alive, Lionel was exhausted. For the past year or so he had been running on fumes. He longed for the Glorious Appearing and an end to all this madness.

Of course, he was aware of the situation between Judd and Chad. Lionel could easily feel the tension when the two were in the same room. Being so close with Judd, Lionel found it hard to not automatically take Judd's side and hate Chad, but he knew that wasn't right. For the past few years, he had been the mediator for Judd and Vicki with their many fights. Through that, he had learned not to take sides of either one, even if he did personally agree with one.

So Lionel did not distrust Chad, nor did he think he was evil. He barely knew the young man, and because he is a fellow brother in Christ, he had to give him the benefit of a doubt.

Lionel focused his attention to Marshall, who was standing and making his way to the center of the circle of chairs which everyone had set up. In his hands he held a tattered Bible and pieces of paper, which Lionel assumed to be notes.

"Good afternoon, everyone."Marshall started." I thought it would be beneficial to us if I ran through the timeline of what we still have to face during the Tribulation."

"Right now, we are still facing the fourth bowl judgment, the heat wave. A judgment that we do not know when will be lifted. The fifth bowl judgment is darkness in the city of the Carpathia's palace, New Babylon. The Bible says the darkness will be so bad that men will gnaw on their tongues and yell out, wishing to die. After that we have the sixth bowl judgment, the drying up of the Euphrates River, which will usher in Armageddon. Obviously we are still awaiting the Battle of Armageddon. The seventh bowl judgment will be the biggest earthquake the world has ever seen, stronger than the Wrath of the Lamb"

"Then, the day we have all been waiting for: the Glorious Appearing. Christ will cast Satan into the lake of fire for a Millennium, Christ's thousand year reign on earth."

Lionel sat there, relishing in what Marshall had just said. To be with Christ would be a dream come true. To be able to worship him freely day in and day put would be truly amazing.

Lionel's thoughts were disrupted by a loud knock at the door. He looked up at Marshall, who looked as confused and frightened as the rest of them. Everyone staying at the camp was in the building right now."

"Help me please!" A voice said.

"What should we do?"Conrad asked. They had not had an incident happen like this at the camp. The entrance was so well hidden that it was nearly impossible to find your way in, unless you had specific directions.

"Please help me!" This person yelled again, getting more desperate than before. Lionel wanted to help whoever it was, but he knew very well that it could easily be a trap from the Global Community.

Marshall looked unsure what to do. Judd looked like he was ready to charge the GC that he was sure was behind that door. Vicki, even though she looked nervous, had a compassionate look in her eyes. Frightened and bold faces were scattered throughout the room, but no one was quite sure what to do.

"Please help me. I know you're in there!" The voice said one again, followed by mound banging on the door.

"What if it's the GC?" Shelly asked, frightened. Conrad comforted her by putting his arm around her.

Marshall didn't look at her when he responded."Then we have already been found out."

"What have we got to lose?"Darrion said.

"I want everyone to go into the back room and stay quiet. Keep the lights off, close and lock the door and hide to the best of your ability. Judd and Lionel, you two stay with me. "Marshall said.

Everyone scattered out, leaving the three of them to the stranger looked at Lionel and then he went over and slowly opened the door, revealing a teenage girl, most likely seventeen or eighteen. She had long; dark hair that was put up in a pong was wearing a red bandana around her head, so they couldn't tell whether she had the mark of the beast, the mark of the believer, or neither.

She looked at them, said nothing, but came in anyway and that gave Lionel a bad feeling. She was a very pretty girl, but the clothes she wore resembled those worn by a bounty hunter. And so did the gun that was in her back pocket.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys. I just wanted to say thank you for being so supportive and reading this story. I love when I get reviews from you guys, it literally lights up my day. I'm really excited about this story and I have some really cool ideas for it. And I cannot believe that this is chapter nine already...wow. It feels like I was on chapter four yesterday. Ok, I'm done. Once again thank you for being so great.**

**Now, here, what is you actually came here for.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Lionel Washington took a step back as the young girl walked in, uninvited. Her long hair swayed as she walked. She had a tough look to her, yet her eyes looked innocent. She could no more than seventeen years old, eighteen at the most. She was at a normal height, probably a few inches taller than Vicki's height of 5'5".

There were cuts and bruises on her face and hands, but she appeared to be in no pain. She said nothing as she came in and neither did Lionel or the others. As she looked around, Lionel got a good look at the weapon in her pocket. It was an older gun, nothing like what the Global Community used. He had no idea if it was loaded or not.

Lionel turned and briefly looked at the door behind which the rest of the Young Tribulation Force stood, worried. He so hoped she wouldn't know about them. He looked at Judd, who was as frightened as him but did a good job of not showing it. Marshall gave them both looks as if to say, 'D_o not say a word'_. They both nodded as the girl made her way around the room, running her hand against the wall and taking in every detail of the cabin.

The girl turned and faced them, but still said nothing. She reached for the gun and took it out. It took all that Lionel had to not take a step back, but that would show her his fear of her. She looked at them all as she took out the weapon, raised it up, but then set it on a table in the side of the room, near where she was standing. She put both her hands up, almost as if she was surrendering.

And with that she took out her ponytail. She shook her hair free while putting the hair tie on her wrist. Her hair lay naturally, long and somewhat messy, but for being a bounty hunter, quite neat. She ran a hand through her hair, quickly separating the knots and smoothing it out. She moved her hands to the back of her head and untied the bandanna. The red piece of cloth came off and what was on her forehead startled Lionel.

The Mark of the believer.

And the Mark of the Beast.

But the Mark of the Beast that was on her forehead didn't look right. It was thinner than most marks, and not quite as deep. There was no scar for the scanning chip that she should have.

"I can explain."She said quickly, and with that took her bandana and wiped her forehead and the Mark disappeared. She put the rag down by the gun and took a step closer to them.

"I'm a believer."She whispered.

"Go get Vicki. Now."Marshall said and Judd quickly went and got her, making sure no one else followed or made a sound. Vicki and Judd walked back to them, Vicki standing behind Judd a bit, not sure what to expect. When she saw the Mark of the believer she smiled but was confused when she saw the gun lying on the table. She looked to Judd who just shook his head.

Lionel finally stepped forward to her."May I?"He asked. She nodded and he put his thumb to her mark to test it. Sure enough it didn't smudge. It was real.

"Ok, so we know your mark is real, but what about the Mark of the Beast you had on a few seconds ago?"Judd asked her.

"It's make-up."She responded.

"But it didn't look like a normal mark."Lionel stated.

"I know. That's the point." She told him.

"Okay, I'm confused. What are you talking about? Vicki asked.

"Sit down. I guess I'd better tell you my entire story before you think I'm insane." She said. So they sat in a few of the chairs they had set up for before and the new girl and Lionel both swung their chairs around so they were facing the others, making an even smaller circle.

"First, off, I guess I'd better explain that's make-up, that's why I wear the bandanna. I've been pretending to be a bounty hunter. The reason it looked so weird was because it was an original drawing for the Mark. I knew someone on the inside who got me a picture and told me to practice drawing it so I could fake my way through the system. When newer drawings stated to come out and the Mark was finally made official, there wasn't enough time to learn a new drawing. So I came up with the story that I was the first one in my area to get the Mark and the guy who did it had not seen the new pictures and made it too thin. The excuse passes them by every time."She said.

"Well, that's defiantly original. But why don't you tell us your story."Marshall said.

"And how exactly did you find your way here?"Vicki asked.

"And who did you know on the inside?"Judd questioned.

"Okay, for starters, Chloe Williams pointed me here; she said that I would fit right in. She also said that she would tell you guys I was coming. But then the thing in Greece happened and then everything with the safe house so I guess she just never got around to it."

"And the person I knew on the inside was named Natalie Bishop. She had contact with a...Angel Christopher."

"Angel Christopher is Annie. But how do you know Natalie?"Lionel asked.

"She's my sister."

* * *

**Wow, didn't see that coming did you. What do you think of my mystery girl? Any suggestions on what her name should be?**

**Thanks for reading guys!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Whoa guys, this is Chapter Ten! Wow, it doesn't seem that long...Well, anyways, thank you to those who commented names. I came up with a little something from both names to incorporate the mystery girl's name, but I will explain how at the end of the chapter.**

**And now, Chapter Ten!**

* * *

"Natalie Bishop is your sister? She saved me from the GC once at that satellite school thing." Vicki said in couldn't wrap this around his head. The girls didn't look-alike. Natalie has blonde hair and this girl hair was dark. The faces were somewhat similar though. But if this girl really was Natalie's sister, she might know a lot of things Natalie never told the rest of the Young Tribulation Force.

"Yeah, she told me about you. And of course I've heard of Vicki B."She said.

"You know about Vicki B.?"Vicki asked her.

"Yes, of course. I don't live under a rock so it's a little hard not to hear about you."She said, smiling.

"So, what's your story? And, um, what's your name. I'm guessing that necklace you're wearing is your initials?"Judd said, pointing to the gold chain around her neck that was hiding when she came in, but it must have slipped out.

She looked down at her neck and held the necklace."Yeah, it is, K.T.B. Kendall Tina Bishop. My dad had it made for me when I was a baby and Natalie had one just like it, but of course hers was N.O.B for Natalie Olivia Bishop. "

"So anyways, like I said, my name is Kendall people call me K.T, or Kay, or Kendy. Any one of them is fine with me. My story...it's kind of long."

"We have time."Lionel told her.

"Ok" Kendall said."Well, I didn't grow up in a Christian home. My parents were good people, but not Christians. I had two sisters and a brother. Natalie was the oldest, then me, then Judah, then McKenna. Kenna was quite a few years younger than me. I remember when she was five and I was eleven, everything changed."

"She was diagnosed with Leukemia and I didn't understand how that was fair. I had heard about God, but didn't understand how a good God would let that happen to a little. It just didn't seem right to me."

"Then the Rapture happened about two years later when I was thirteen. Judah and McKenna both disappeared and my mom got killed in a car accident. When Carpathia started to promote the Global Community, my dad, Natalie and I all bought into it. Natalie went to go work for them as a Moral Monitor and that's where she found out about the gospel and the real reason behind the disappearances. This girl she met, Abigail, told her about it and Natalie eventually believed. She sent home emails to tell what happened to her, but my dad told her to stop because someone was brainwashing her and that she could get herself killed. I on the other hand was really interested so I set up a secret e-mail account and checked it wherever my dad was out of the house."

"Then the wrath of the Lamb happened. My dad got trapped in the house and didn't make it. I wasn't saved, but I was telling him about God through a broken window while he was dying. He had wood and cinder on his back and legs, but his head was out in the open, so I worked my way around so I could be with him, but he just rejected me and God. When he died, I left and tried to find a way to see if Natalie was alive. I finally found an abandoned laptop, contacted her and then looked at the older e-mails. It was then that I finally got saved. "

"For the next two years I lived with this girl Amber and these two guys Corey and Liam. We were kind of like a small rag-tag Young Tribulation Force. After those two years, it was almost four and a half years into the Tribulation. Liam was by a bounty hunter and Corey and Amber felt God leading them to Petra. I didn't feel that same leading. So they left and I stayed behind, but I needed some way to stay alive. Natalie had sent me some rough drafts of the Mark of the Beast for years, so I figured I could draw it on myself and pass off as a bounty hunter. It gave me food and I normally found a place to sleep at night.

"I did that for about a year. After almost getting killed a couple of time I started to realize that I wouldn't be able to survive another year as a pretend bounty hunter. I did save a few Christians though so that made the little adventure worthwhile and that's also how I found out about Chloe Steele Williams. One of the people I helped told me to call her if I was ever in trouble, so I did. She told me to come up here and that she would let you guys know ahead of time. I was pretty close and with my disguise I could travel day and night, so I got here in a pretty short time. So the question is, do I get to stay?"

Marshall looked at the others before responding."Well, we normally vote on things like this, but I can guarantee that if you share your story, you'll have a pretty good chance of staying. By the way, I'm Marshall. This is Judd Thompson, Lionel Washington, and you already know of Vicki Byrne. They're three of the original Young Tribulation Force members."

"Wow, that's awesome. It's really cool to meet you guys. And I'm sorry I kind of scared you when I came in like a bounty hunter." Kendall said.

"It's understandable. You had to have the disguise so you wouldn't be found out. And I see why Chloe didn't remember to tell us about you since she does have a lot on her plate."Judd said.

"Why don't I give you a tour of the place after dinner? If you stay, which I'm sure you will, you can stay in Melinda and Tanya's cabin. There is plenty of room."Vicki said, smiling.

"Thank you so much. How many people are at this camp?" asked Kendall.

"Quite a few." said Lionel."And all them have their own very different stories."

She smiled in anticipation. "Well, I can't wait to hear them."

* * *

**So, there it is. Her name is Kendall Tina Bishop. One name commented was Tina, so I used that as the middle name. The other name was Karen. I took the first letter from this name. Kendall was a name I was considering when I was still contemplating about putting this character in. Kendall is a girl's name (if you don't believe me look it up, it can be either a girl or a guy's name) and it means exalted effigy (image) or the valley of the river of Kent. I think it's a nice name and it really just goes with this character. What do you guys think of the name?**

**Ok, so long for now. I'll update soon. Please review! :)**


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Left Behind: The Kids, they belong to Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. If I did then this series would have a book 41 and a Movie series. Plus Judd and Vicki would have gotten together a long time ago. I also do not own Reckless by Jeremy Camp.

**Hey guys. I thought I'd just let you know I have republished all of my previous chapters for this story. Mathlover15 is helping me with grammar and editing and is acting as my Beta Reader. She is incredibly talented, and if you haven't already, check out her profile and her story 'Unexpected Visitors'. Her story is very good and I recommend reading it.**

**Here is chapter eleven.**

* * *

Judd Thompson Jr. sat in awe as Kendall once again shared her story, but this time in front of the whole group. She was a natural-born speaker. She used proper hand-motions, made eye contact and took breaks at the right times.

Kendall's story seemed to be legit. With all of the facts she had and the people she knew about there was just no way she was a fake. Vicki had even told him earlier that she bore a small resemblance to Natalie, but Judd, who had never met Natalie, wouldn't know that.

As Kendall went on with her testimony, Judd thought about what it would be like to have a new member in the group. It had just been them for quite a while. Maybe Chad would take a liking to this Kendall girl and get over Vicki. But then again, Kendall was only seventeen, about to turn eighteen. Chad on the other hand was twenty and still hung up over Vicki.

When Kendall finished her story, Marshall asked her to leave the room so they could discuss whether or not she could stay.

"I know this is pretty pointless, but we've always done a vote."Marshall explained."So, for traditions sake, how many think Kendall should stay?" Everyone raised their hands, silently. "Okay. All opposed?"Marshall looked around, but no one had raised their hand.

"Okay then it's agreed. Kendall will be staying with us."He announced.

"And," Vicki said."She is also part of the Young Tribulation Force, right?"She looked to Marshall and then to Collin Dial, who both nodded. She smiled from ear to ear, which made Judd laugh.

They called Kendall back in and told her the news, which made her face light up. She didn't say a word, but just smiled as she sat down again. But Judd could tell she was honestly joyous to be here.

* * *

Lionel Washington walked out of lunch on that bright Tuesday afternoon, feeling great. Kendall had only been at the camp for barely a day, but she seemed to be fitting it well. For the most part she seemed pretty happy she was here.

As Lionel was walking past the main cabin, he heard a noise. He listened closer and realized it was music. He faintly heard the strumming of a guitar. He looked around the cabin, and then quietly went in.

He walked into the main room silently and hid behind the wall to see what it was. To his surprise, it was none other than Kendall, sitting on the small stage in the front of the main room. The platform, which was probably two or three feet high, was rarely used by the Young Trib Force, since they normally met either in classrooms throughout the camp or pulled all the chairs to the other side of the room, leaving the half with the stage abandoned. There were instruments on the stage that were also hardly ever used. A few of them could play piano and one or two could play guitar and drums, but since none of them were very good, or had enough time to practice to get better, they all just found it easier to sing acapella.

Kendall didn't seem to notice him and kept on strumming the old acoustic guitar, humming and sometimes quietly singing lyrics. Lionel leaned in so he could hear better, but fell over Charlie's backpack that was lying on the ground.

Kendall looked up from the guitar and blushed when she saw him. She suppressed a laugh, seeing that he had been hiding and had fallen. He quickly gathered himself together and stood up, making his way over to the stage where she was sitting.

"Hey" he said, trying to coolly play off his stumble.

"Hey. Next time you spy on me, find a better hiding spot for your own personal safety." She said, laughing."More preferably one without annoying backpacks."

"Yeah thanks."He muttered.

"You're Lionel, right?"She asked him.

"Yeah, I am. I'm one of the original members of the group."He responded to her. She smiled shyly, not exactly knowing what to say and tried to think of a quick way to break the silence.

"Um, so I take it you can play the guitar?"He asked her, hoping it would put an end to the awkwardness.

"Yeah, I've been playing for years. My dad got me a guitar when I was nine and I used to play for my baby sister, Kenna, when she was sick in the hospital. It always made me happy to play. Whenever I was having a bad day, I'd go in my room and play a happy song, and everything would just be better."

"Wow. So, do you sing to? I thought I heard you singing?" Lionel said, tripping over his words. It had been a long time since he met a new person and he forgot how uncomfortable it could be.

"Uh, yeah, a little." She said, looking at her guitar.

"Will you play something for me?" He asked.

"Oh no, you don't want to hear me." She said quickly.

"Oh come on, please."He begged.

"Oh alright, fine."She declared. She set her hands on the guitar strings and softly began:

_I wanna be reckless_

_Cause You are endless_

_I wanna be shameless_

_And shout your greatness_

_I will not be afraid to surrender my ways_

_And follow who you are_

_I wanna be reckless, reckless_

Lionel sat there as she finished, in wonder. She had a beautiful voice that was sweet and pure. He sang softly and the guitar added to the beauty of her voice. She could easily hit the high notes, yet slip down to the lower ones as well.

"Wow. You're...you're amazing, Kendall!"He told her, but she didn't seem to really believe him. She smiled though and thanked him.

"Thank you."She whispered.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes. It was awkward, but Lionel didn't mind. It was uncomfortable, but he could care less. It was quiet, but Lionel wouldn't change it. And after more time passed, she got up, said goodbye and left, leaving him and the guitar behind.


	12. Chapter 12

Lionel Washington sat at the breakfast table with Judd and Vicki, waiting for Kendall to meet with them. The four had decided to meet together in order to talk, because there were some important things that needed to be discussed. They all had questions for her and they were sure she had questions for them, but the matter of her spot in the Co-Op needed to be dealt with first. She had spoken with Vicki briefly about helping out with the cause, but not enough to get her going.

"Where do you think she is?" Judd asked them."She was supposed to meet us here twenty minutes ago."

"She's probably just running late. Being on the run will make a person pretty tired." Vicki answered him. "But I do have some questions for her. I want to know some more details about her pretending to be a bounty hunter. That's some stuff Chloe will want to know."

Lionel nodded, but wasn't really paying that much attention. He was a bit tired from working around the camp the night before and had woken up early this morning. His long-sleeved shirt hid the fact that he had a missing arm, but he wondered when Kendall would finally realize it. For the past two days, he had worn his prosthetic arm, but this morning he had not felt the need to wear it. Normally, he would not even wear the plastic arm at all since he was among friends.

Suddenly, Kendall ran around the corner, with a banana in her hand, and sat down next to Lionel. It was clear she had borrowed some clothes from the other girls, wearing an outfit much different from the bounty hunter clothes she had arrived in. The girls were very good about sharing what they had and had also given her a few pairs of extra clothes they had saved for new comers.

She was dressed in dark blue jeans and a striped green and white hoodie. Her long hair was pulled back is some type of braid that Lionel didn't know the name of. His sisters had never done all the different braids, so he wasn't fully aware of this braid terminology.

"Sorry I'm late," she said."I was just so tired and I don't remember the last time I slept eight hours. "She opened her banana and took bite, looking around the table for a response. Judd just nodded, taking another bite of his cereal.

"It's fine." Vicki said."So, Kendall, we're curious about your time as a bounty hunter. Chloe Williams would like to know the skill sets you have for the Co-Op.

"Well, what do you want to know?" She asked.

"Well, how did you make money? Did you turn in Christians?" Judd asked her.

"Well, they give you some money to start out with. It's not a lot, but when you're used to eating crackers and water on a regular basis, it works out. I've only ever turned in one person, but he knew I was a Christian. The guys name was Bryce and he was also a Christian. I was going to help him escape like I did with the other Christians I had come into contact with, but he said no. He felt God telling him that there was someone in prison who needed to hear the gospel and he told me he would find a way out. He practically dragged me to the GC station to turn him in because he had such a heart for the unsaved. It was amazing. I felt bad turning him in, but he said that it was what God had planned for him. "

"Wow. If that's not bravery, then I don't know what is." Lionel said in awe.

"So," Judd said. "You said you almost got yourself killed a few times. Tell us about that."

"It was mainly my mark getting smudged. A few times in the beginning my mark would smudge when I showed the other bounty hunters I came into contact with. I always had to come up with a quick excuse and sometimes they called my bluff.

If they asked too many questions or got to curious, a lot of times I would just take off running. They would either follow and I'd out run them or they would just give up, thinking I was just a young bounty hunter who was scared."

"Ok. Well, that makes sense. So, do you want me to set you up with Chloe for the Co-Op?" Vicki asked her. Kendall nodded in response.

"Well, that's settled. Should we pray?" Judd all agreed and grabbed each other hands. Kendall held Vicki's one hand and then went to hold Lionel's hand with her free hand, when she stopped. All she saw, for the first time, was an empty sleeve.

Lionel looked away from her. This was not how he envisioned her finding out. She put her hand on his shoulder, which surprised him. They proceeded with the prayer and afterword Judd and Vicki excused themselves.

Lionel sat there uncomfortably. He didn't know what to say until finally Kendall broke the silence, "How'd it happen?" She asked. She was silent for a moment and when he didn't respond right away she then said."You don't have to tell me if you're uncomfortable."

"No, it's fine." He said. "Judd and I were traveling across the country to get back here and we decided to take a shortcut. Long story short, a boulder ended up falling on top of my arm. Judd went to go get help, but I couldn't wait. So I amputated it myself."

She sat there is silence and it was evident that she didn't know what to say. "On some days I'm mad about it." He continued. "But other days I'm happy it happened because it was like a wrecking ball to my pride. The whole incident took me down a couple of notches and humbled me."

"Well, that's a good way to look at it."She said. She pursed her lips, thinking and then said. "Come with me, I want to play you something."

So they went back to the stage in the main cabin. He sat down on the stage and she grabbed the guitar. She sat by him and started to play:

_If there's a road I should walk_

_Help me find it_

_If I need to be still_

_Give me peace for the moment_

_Whatever Your will_

_Whatever Your will_

_Can you help me find it_

_Can you help me find it_

And in that moment, everything started to make sense to Lionel.

* * *

**I don't own Help me find it by Sidewalk Prophets. I also don't own Left Behind: The Kids.**

**And a special thanks to Mathlover15 who has been my unofficial Beta Reader. It is highly appreciated.**


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